June 27, 2008

Guns for All

The Supreme Court on Thursday embraced the long-disputed view that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own a gun for personal use, ruling 5 to 4 that there is a constitutional right to keep a loaded handgun at home for self-defense.

The landmark ruling overturned the District of Columbia ban on handguns, the strictest gun-control law in the country, and appeared certain to usher in a new round of litigation over gun rights throughout the country.

This is so not over. The Supremes struck down D.C.'s total handgun ban on a 5-4 decision, but even the majority took pains to spell out that almost all gun regulations short of an all out band are Constitutionally permissible. Which means that guns are going to end up like abortion. Basic rights secured by the courts, but opponents have a ton of options to try and regulate. The Supremes never "settle" anything. They just set the terms for the next fight.